00:14.500S 086:30.478W 175nm to Galapagos
Shaya Moya
Don & Susan Smyth
Thu 9 Jun 2011 14:22
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We struggled with the wind from the SW and a
contrary current to the peninsula Cabo San Francisco Ecuador, where we finally
turned west, 550nm to go. From here we the wind and current started to become
favourable and by the 3rd day we were literally flying along at 9kts diredtly
towards our destination in the Galapagos, Isla San Cristobal.
The weather also blessed us with the sun finally
coming out to give us a couple of wonderful sunny days. Reece was madly fishing
as we had had no luck for 3 days now.
The nights turned cold and it was jerseys on for
the night watches. Then in the day the temperature is back in the
30's
Each morning we would inspect the deck to see what
had visited us during the night. There are always the mandatory couple of flying
fish who couldn't swerve in time, and wonders of wonders baby squid?
  The nights are still almost pitch black as there is
little or no moon depending on the cloud cover. This enhances the effect of the
plankton that gets pushed aside in our wake causing a luminescent sparkling
blanket either side of our boat. A lone white seagull comes every night and
flies in formation with us, diving every now and again into this phosphorescence
to grab something?
 Suddenly, 75nm from the Galapagos there is a open
fishing bout with 3 fisherman waving at us. It could not have been more than
6-7m long. I wave back, Reece looks at me as if I have lost "me marbles" whats
he on about. Quick avoiding action to miss their long line net in front of us.
Not too much later we see a large long line fishing
boat towing about a dozen of these open boats. They despatch the open boats who
put out the long line that floats on the surface with the net hanging down.
These can be up to 1nm long and with 7-8 open boats out at any one time can
create a veritable spiders web that one has to thread oneself
through.
  There goes that screaming reel again. Another Mahi
Mahi, 8kg this time. We have fish for a few days, hmmm maybe I can get Reece to
make that world famous fish curry of his.
  Its 06h00 this morning, I have just come on watch
and Reece is writing up the ships log, sending our position report to Susan and
then he is off to bed. But do not think it was before he put out the fishing
line once more!
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